METROPOLE ARCHITECTS
Architecture in Durban

In architecture, there is a part that is the result of logical reasoning and a part that is created through the senses. As Ando so eloquently suggests, architecture is not exclusively engineering or art, but the synthesis of both the actual and the fictional, acting in concert with one another. Architecture and the built environment has to consider and address all the needs of the people who interact and inhabit it. Every environmental stimulus triggers an emotional and sometimes physiological response. Architects are responsible for creating a built environment that edifies all aspects of human life, from the physical to the emotional. We believe that the users of our architecture are the ultimate priority, and shaping an environment that considers and addresses the wholistic needs and desires of the people that it serves is our imperative. There have always been those who have wanted to reshape the world in which they lived. They have shown us new ways of living, working and also new aesthetic forms for building. We aim to generate design that stakes out new territory, and explore ideas that are intuitive, inventive, exuberant and daring. People can concentrate better after spending time in nature, or even looking at scenes of nature. In nature, an individual no longer needs to block out noise and other mental intrusions, allowing their mind to rest. And the vastness of the environment immerses a person in a mentally comfortable setting. Thus, nature may help people to think more clearly and cope more effectively with life stress. Many studies have shown peoples affinity for nature. It follows, then, if people tend to prefer environments in which they function most effectively, natural settings would promote well-being. Structures are to certain extent, made a part of their environment, and care is taken to blend the edifice into the surrounding natural environment. Traditional Japanese interiors, as well as modern, incorporate mainly natural materials including fine woods, bamboo, silk, rice straw mats, and paper shoji screens. Natural materials are used to keep simplicity in the space that connects to nature. An architecture that strives to prioritize the needs of the user is obligated to consider the inclusion of natural elements required for health and well-being. As architects we are fully aware of the impact that our buildings have on the urban fabric, and vice versa. An underlying effort at achieving the new, original, and visionary. Themes of natural romantic phenomena, such as caves, mountains, lightning, crystal and rock formations. Expressionist architecture is an extension of the artist themselves, and because people are complex, the DNA of an expressionist building is rich with complexity and nuance. Tyrone Reardon joined the office in 2002, and became a partner in 2004.